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Theresa May's scrapping of minister for refugees 'disgraceful' Theresa May's scrapping of minister for refugees 'utterly disgraceful'
(about 1 hour later)
The government has been criticised for its decision to scrap the post of minister for newly-arrived Syrian refugees, with the Labour leadership contender Owen Smith branding the move “utterly disgraceful”. The government has been criticised for scrapping the post of minister for newly arrived Syrian refugees, with the Labour leadership contender Owen Smith describing the decision as “utterly disgraceful”.
Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat leader, said the decision showed Theresa May’s government was “all talk and no action” when it came to a more compassionate approach to the refugee crisis. Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat leader, said it showed that Theresa May’s government was “all talk and no action” when it came to a more compassionate approach to the refugee crisis.
Conservative MP Richard Harrington was appointed to the newly-created, cross-departmental role in September 2015, with responsibility for coordinating the government’s commitment to resettle 20,000 refugees from the brutal civil war in Syria, and organise UK efforts to provide assistance to those elsewhere. The Conservative MP Richard Harrington was appointed to the cross-departmental role in September 2015, with responsibility for coordinating the government’s commitment to resettle 20,000 people displaced by the war in Syria and organise UK efforts to provide assistance to those elsewhere.
After May became prime minister, Harrington was moved to be junior work and pensions minister. The Home Office, which oversaw the role, along with the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Department for International Development, said it could not comment immediately about the fate of the post. After May became prime minister, Harrington was moved to be junior work and pensions minister. The prime minister’s official spokeswoman said the job would now be absorbed into the Home Office, but insisted that the government was fully committed to taking in 20,000 refugees by 2020.
However, May’s official spokeswoman said the job would be absorbed into the Home Office, but said the government was “fully committed” the receiving the 20,000 refugees by 2020.
“There was a role appointed to a specific MP to make sure that the commitment made previously to increase the number of refugees that we resettle got under way, got off to a good start and was delivered upon,” she said.“There was a role appointed to a specific MP to make sure that the commitment made previously to increase the number of refugees that we resettle got under way, got off to a good start and was delivered upon,” she said.
Smith said in a statement that if he won the Labour leadership battle he would appoint a shadow minister for refugees. He said: “At a time when men, women and children are still drowning in the Mediterranean because of the ongoing refugee crisis, it is utterly disgraceful that the Tories have chosen to axe this important post.” The Home Office said Robert Goodwill, the immigration minister, would take over the responsibilities of the role. “Work on helping those displaced by the Syrian conflict continues right across government,” a spokeswoman said, saying the government had pledged more than £2.3bn in aid to Syria and neighbouring countries.
Farron said his party would do all it could to hold the government to its promises on the issue. He said: “The new prime minister had a chance to step up and change the Tories’ position on the humanitarian crisis in Syria, and the first signs of failure are already there. Smith, who is challenging Jeremy Corbyn to become Labour leader, said in a statement that if he won the leadership contest, he would appoint a shadow minister for refugees. “At a time when men, women and children are still drowning in the Mediterranean because of the ongoing refugee crisis, it is utterly disgraceful that the Tories have chosen to axe this important post,” he said.
Farron said his party would do all it could to hold the government to its promises on the issue. “The new prime minister had a chance to step up and change the Tories’ position on the humanitarian crisis in Syria, and the first signs of failure are already there,” he said.
“Scrapping a ministerial post for refugees tells you everything you need to know about the Tories and their new prime minister. All talk and no action.”“Scrapping a ministerial post for refugees tells you everything you need to know about the Tories and their new prime minister. All talk and no action.”
There was also criticism from a Conservative backbencher, Heidi Allen, who said on Sunday, before the news was announced, it would be “such a shame” to lose the role. There was also criticism from the Conservative backbencher Heidi Allen. Speaking on Sunday, before the news was announced, she said it would be “such a shame” to lose the role.
“We can’t forget about those poor, poor individuals while we’re busy navel-gazing ourselves about how our role is going to be in the global place,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour. “So yes, actions need to speak louder than words.” “We can’t forget about those poor, poor individuals, while we’re busy navel-gazing ourselves about how our role is going to be in the global place,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour. “So yes, actions need to speak louder than words.”
Shortly before Harrington took the role, David Cameron announced that the UK would take 20,000 refugees from camps near the country over the following five years. The announcement by David Cameron that the UK would accept 20,000 people from refugee camps came after a surge of publicity about the plight of people fleeing conflict, following the publication of photographs of Alan Kurdi, a three-year-old boy whose body was found on a beach in Greece.
The announcement came amid a surge of publicity about the plight of refugees following globally-circulated photographs of Alan Kurdi, a three-year-old boy whose body was found on a beach after he, his brother and mother drowned while trying to reach Greece from Turkey. The UK was criticised for this figure, given that there were about 1.3 million asylum applications in EU countries during 2015.
This offer faced criticism, given the relatively low number set against the 350,000-plus refugees who applied for asylum within the EU during 2015, and the near 5 million who have fled the country. The scheme, officially called the Syrian vulnerable person resettlement programme, had seen 1,800 people arrive in the UK by the beginning of July, with the overall target remaining in place, according to the Home Office.
The programme, officially called the Syrian vulnerable person resettlement scheme, had by the start of this month seen 1,800 people arrive in the UK, with the 20,000 target by 2020 remaining in place, according to the Home Office. While there has arguably been a drop-off in media attention, the refugee situation is worse this year than last. Figures from the International Organization for Migration show that as of last week, more than 242,000 migrants and refugees had arrived in Europe by sea in 2016, with 2,977 deaths. The same period in 2015 saw 220,00 arrivals and 1,917 deaths.
While there has been arguably a drop-off in media attention the overall refugee situation is even worse this year than in 2015. Figures from the International Organisation for Migration show that as of last week more than 242,000 migrants and refugees had arrived in Europe by sea in 2016, with 2,977 deaths. The same period of 2015 saw 220,00 arrivals and 1,917 deaths.